Thursday, May 12, 2016

At this stage of the presidential game, it would be difficult to argue that we are left with any good candidates for President. All candidates in all eras are flawed, but these are worse. When two leading candidates who are strangers to decency, civility and virtue face off against one another, we can safely predict that this is going to get ugly. We should not be surprised.

But we should be Christian; and we should act the part.

If you have a favorite candidate, then I question your judgment. But if you have a despised candidate, then you will be tempted to delight and, worse, join in, when the slurs begin to fly. You must remember that this is not Christian behavior, and not only should Christians not take part in it, but they also should not even listen to it.

We should not repeat the cleverly crude lines, whether with our lips, or in our posts. We should not whisper them to our buddies, and chuckle under our breaths. Let’s listen as Scripture speaks:

“But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” (Ephesians 5:3–5 NAS95)

The media is going to make a killing off this, in more than one respect. The more vulgar it becomes, the more money they will make. And their celebration of the whole sordid affair will only serve to erode, to kill, any remaining sense of decorum and decency that exists in our culture.

I believe Christians should stay out of it - away from it. I am not saying who you should vote for, or against - or if you should vote at all. Just don’t tune in. Tune out. Shut if off. The holiness and righteousness of God does not and will not take a leave of absence for something so exceptional as presidential politics featuring such unexceptional candidates.

Finally, when this drama is played out, there will be a President elected, whether from the existing candidates or someone as yet unforeseen - and we will be called upon as Christians to pray for the person who fills that office, and to honor him, or her.

Some Christians are big on grace and love and forgiveness. You can’t have too much of this. This is the right response in every situation. And, there is also a group of non-Christians who believe that this is exactly what Christians should be about.

There are also Christians who are big on truth. They believe that there are right’s, and there are wrong’s, and that you should be able to tell the difference. And they are more than willing to help. And, there is a group of non-Christians who fully expect Christians to be exactly like this.

So would it surprise certain Christians, and certain non-Christians, that Jesus is full of both grace and truth? And would it surprise you that the themes of grace and truth have been intertwined through the whole Bible story, both old and new testaments?

God revealed Himself to Moses on the mountain in Exodus 34:6,7 - identifying Himself by both Name and description. This description contains both grace and truth, translated variously as loyal love or lovingkindness, and faithfulness. He is true to His covenant promises; and He is true to His Word.

C.S. Lewis, in the quote on the back page, reminds us that if God truly loves us, then He will not leave unaddressed or untouched that which is unlovely in our lives. That is, in His grace, He will apply truth. He exercises grace in a way that does not treat sin as though it is invisible or unoffensive. And He also exercises truth in ways that graciously illuminates what is right and what is wrong; what is good and what is evil.

One church-or-the-other’s over-emphasis on either grace or truth does great damage. And we are continually learning how to balance. And, it is not as though one can ever have too much grace, or too much truth. It is just that they must be joined. I love this verse that says it well: Psalm 85:10 “Lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”

So let’s get rid of the idea that we can go to a “grace” church, or a “truth” church.” Let’s reject the idea that women are for grace, and men are for truth. Let’s not accept a theory that truth is for beginners, and grace for the more mature (or the other way around). Why? Because of this: John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”